Getting their art on the wall

Deirdre Newman

SOUTH COAST METRO-- As part of Costa Mesa’s former residential design

guidelines, “harmony and compatibility” were known to strike fear and

frustration in homeowners trying to make their expansions fit in with

their neighborhood.

On Saturday, the positive aspects of “harmony and compatibility”

will be on display, celebrated by at least one local artist at the

Orange County Fine Arts organization’s holiday reception and

showcase.

The showcase features the artwork of about 30 of the 300 members

of the organization, which has been supporting arts in the county

since 1962. An eclectic array of art will be featured, including

sculptures, paintings, jewelry and glass work.

“With glass, the main thing is harmony and compatibility,” said

Jila Hakimi, a Newport Beach artist who creates with her husband. “If

you use the best design and the best glass, if one element is not

compatible, it can break from within. We use this as a message of

life for everyone.”

The organization has two showcase galleries -- one at South Coast

Plaza Village, where the holiday reception will take place, and one

in the Santora Arts building. The galleries afford the artists the

opportunity to exhibit their work, which is especially vital for

amateur artists, said organization president Marillyn Brame. To

exhibit, the artists have to bring five pieces of work to be

approved, Brame added.

The galleries usually change their exhibits every two months, but

the artists group has not been able to use the South Coast Plaza

Village gallery for the past six weeks because Coastline College

students were using it for an art show of their own, said Marie

Taggart, a Costa Mesa artist.

Taggart will be exhibiting her plein-air painting at the showcase

Saturday, many of which illustrate local scenes.

“I’ve been doing [plein-air] longer than I care to comment,”

Taggart said. “Now it seems to be coming back in vogue again. For a

while, everything was watercolors.”

Taggart and Hakimi said one of the perks of the showcase for

customers is that the art is more affordable than what might be found

in galleries in Laguna Beach.

“Most of the artists are really not into that much money,” Hakimi

said. “A lot of them have been there for a long time. That’s their

hobby and lifestyle and they really want to contribute to society.

You can find a sculpture for about $90.”

In addition to the galleries, the organization fosters art

appreciation and artistic skills in the community by giving art

scholarships to students. It also just started a youth group for

younger people who are studying art.